Scourge of the Outcast
by Montayva
Summary: A human girl is discarded by accident on the Yautja hunting reserve. Left alone on the planet after the hunters come and go, she finds an unlikely friend and ally in a Hunter thought dead. Told from a humans perspective, this tale delves into the ways of Yautja life.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

She wasn't supposed to be here. A simple, yet stupid mistake she had made whilst trying to help her little brother. Their family had given everything they had to aid the chosen ones this season, and Miria did not see it as fair. She only knew of two human survivors in the known existence of the Yautjas' despicable hunting games in this off-world 'reserve'.

Since the breakdown in technology and civilization on a deteriorating Earth, the Yautja alien race had stepped in to stop humanity from completely obliterating itself from existence. Their only payment requested, was candidates of a fitting nature, to participate in the deadly test of prowess. If the humans failed to pick suitably, the Predators themselves would take whomever they wanted, this somehow seemed the worse of the two evils.

But none of that mattered now. It didn't matter that they had come early this season. It didn't matter that she had been doing something that was deemed punishable by death. Because she was as good as dead in her current position. Sneaking into the large shipping container to pilfer back some of the food and supplies that had been prepared to send along with the chosen 'hunted' was by far the worst decision she had made in her short life.

Miria was crouched now, in the shadows of the hollowed tree she had been occupying for the last month. She was up high, and felt out of the immediate war zone. She knew that trying to blend into the shadows was pointless, these creatures saw in infrared on the electromagnetic spectrum. But it made her feel somewhat more secure. She had watched as the 'hunted ' had been delivered. Watched as the 'hunted' pilfered all the supplies they could carry. Heavily laden with armor, ammunition and various weaponry, they seemed confident in their chances of survival. In the seemingly endless day that followed, gurgling screams and cries of terror rose above the forest canopy and drifted throughout the valley. For three days hence she remained in her same position, too terrified to move, until her survival instincts would no longer allow her to give in to the dehydration that was inevitably worsening. She was glad she had grabbed a full canteen when she had first retreated to her hideaway. But she had failed to grab anything else in her initial disorientation.

She had dared not linger around the supply container, only making short trips and carrying all she could back to the high vantage point in the hollowed out section of an old tree. She had been waiting, merely existing, with no plans, no clue as to what she would do next. She had watched the alien ship depart as the first dusk hued the sky. She assumed their hunt was over. That the Predators had departed with their trophies, and their ship, and that she was stranded on this planet. Forgotten, or simply unnoticed to start with. That first night had been a chorus of many creatures, which seemed unnatural and eerie to her ears. But she had since gotten used to them and their mournful cries.

But the early hours of dawn had seen the morning of to an unusually quiet start. The silence in the jungle disturbed her, and each passing minute fuelled her anxiety. She was almost thankful when she discovered the reason. A lone Hunter stumbled into the clearing where the supplies had been dropped. She held her breath as she watched him move precariously towards the container. He stumbled once, but managed to regain his footing as he moved with an agonizing slowness. A part of her wanted to flee, for she knew the beast was injured. Fluorescent green liquid stained his torso. His armor hung off his form in a haphazard manner. He used his extended spear as a walking aide. But she was captivated. Entranced, knowing he was barely able to move gave her slight confidence in her safety around the creature.

She continued to watch as he removed something from his back. Her vision of what he had set down on the ground and was now tampering with, was obscured as the wounded Hunter fell to his knees in front of it. His back was also decorated with his own green blood. The unearthly brightness of it almost seemed pretty. For the next few minutes she studied, watching closely at this member of a species that liked to hunt her own for mere sport. Her surroundings became ever brighter as the morning progressed, enhancing her vision. After a long while, the hunter removed the last of his damaged armor, letting it fall to the ground about him. He then leaned over his instruments, seemingly gathering something, before applying it to his body. His head tilted back as a deafening roar filled the quiet jungle, and the scurrying and movement of smaller retreating creatures followed. His shoulders heaving with the effort it cost him, the hunter leaned forward once more. Again, his next movements were followed by an ungodly roar, though Miriam was prepared for it this, she jumped involuntarily.

Whatever this thing was doing, it was causing him pain. And as the hunter shuffled around, shifting its position, she saw what she guessed to be its medkit, sprawled out on the round. He was tending his wounds, she realised then, and an unnerving feeling crept through her. Would he hunt her down too, once his wounds were tended? She had thought all the creatures of his species had left the planet once she had seen the ship depart. And then it dawned on her, this one was left for dead. But her thoughts were disturbed as another roar filled the air, and she watched then as the huge bulk of this alien Predator fell to the ground in unconsciousness.

She wasn't sure what had made her so brave, or so curious, or _so stupid_ , as she stood now at the edge of the clearing where the fallen hunter lain. She had observed for what felt like hours. But it had not moved once. Eventually it had gotten the better of her, and she cursed her inquisitive nature as she made her way carefully across forest floor, and breached the distance between herself and the Predator. She wished then that she had paid more attention through her history classes, and could recall more of what she was taught about the Yautja. Always wondering what purpose it would serve her to listen to the endless drabble about these supreme beings, she never imagined any circumstances like this.

As she drew near she could see the hunter was indeed much wounded. Green fluid still seeped from a large gash that extended along his torso. She could see that part of it had been covered by a sticky blue substance, and with further inspection, she knew that that was what the hunter was attempting before he passed out. He had been trying to treat his injuries, but failed. Would he die if she left him here? The pool of the creatures' blood in which he lay was a quite substantial one. His breathing was unsteady and shallow. Miria couched, admiring this thing before her. She had seen enough pictures of this alien species, heard enough stories, but they paled in comparison to the real thing. This creature, this being before her, would have been impressive in full form. He was solid muscle, or so it appeared. His body built for one purpose only. These creatures were indeed true predators.

She stood from her crouching position, and sighed. It would be a shame to leave this being here to die. She scolded herself immediately for thinking such a thing. Given the chance, she was sure this hunter would have torn her limb from limb without a second thought. But looking at his limp form, she knew he was in no position to accomplish such feat. She remembered back to her childhood, of the various creatures and critters that had been orphaned after her father led a hunt. She remembered the time he returned to her with a fawn, whose mother he had taken. Or there was the time she had found the nest of abandoned and hungry fox cubs, the way she used to sneak food to them until they had eventually wondered off to explore life on their own.

But this was no fawn or cub. This killing machine was dangerous and something to be feared. She knew she should have fled. What was stopping her? Was it the fact she had nowhere to flee to? Perhaps knowing on a subconscious level that this creature was the closest thing to her kind, and being near it somehow made her feel like she wasn't alone on this hunting reserve of a planet. Perhaps it was the fleeting thought that this predator may be her only means left for survival. For getting off this planet…

Miria groaned in frustration as she knelt down again beside the hunter. She lifted the spatula like utensil from his clawed hand. Scraping a big wad of the blue goop from the pan beside them, she held her breath and braced herself as she crept over to the hunter. Carefully, she began to apply the gel to his seeping wound. She tensed as his lower mandibles twitched, and remembered the howls of pain he had emitted as he applied the gel himself. She fervently hoped this application wouldn't be enough to rouse him now.

However, Miria finished tending the wounds to his torso without further dilemma. There were some wounds which she thought to be bullet holes on its left leg. But she had used all the gel on the gash on his med section, which she had deemed to be the more life threatening of his injuries. With that done, she wasn't sure what to do. She quickly made a trip into the container to scavenge some food and refill her canteen with water, and sat by the hunter. Watching over him, she monitored his breathing, and the unsteady rise and fall of his chest. He was experiencing sporadic muscle spasms and fits of sorts, which she wasn't sure if it was a sign he was improving, or worsening. Still, she had done all she could. All that was left now was to wait.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Two days had now passed since the hunter had arrived in his wounded state. The blue gel she had finished applying to his wounds had dried and flaked off, and she was relieved to see that the gash had at least sealed up and seemed to be healing. After much contemplation she had tried to wash the remaining wounds as best she could, and dressed them with the human medical supplies left in the shipping container. They hadn't sealed over as well as the one in his torso, but they at least stopped bleeding. She hoped that wasn't because the predator had no more life source left to bleed! But he continued to breath, his heart continued to beat. And Miria remained hopeful.

On the third evening, dark and viscous storms clouds rolled over the forest canopy. The atmosphere it created was intense, and she could sense the whole forest on edge, anticipating a sudden deluge at any moment. Miria worried about the hunter being left out in the open. She scolded herself many times over for feeling anything but disgust for this being with such inhumane practices. But try as she may, she couldn't help it. Her gentle nature and nurturing instincts always managed to creep their way to the top of the turmoil roiling away inside her.

She bustled around the clearing, trying to figure out the best and easiest way to move the creature into a somewhat suitably sheltered position. She concluded that the closest cover was the shipping container. Her next dilemma was how she would actually _move_ the hunter to it. Where he currently lay he was still a good five paces or so from it. She circled his limp form. He would have easily been four times her size, and a dead weight in his comatose state to boot.

Rubbing her hands together in a nervous manor, she took a deep breath. As carefully as she could, she rolled him from his side onto his back. A slight grunt emanated from the creatures mouth as she did so, but she put it down to the movement pushing air out of his lungs. Taking another deep breath, and bracing herself, she tried to wedge her hands underneath his armpits. Miria grunted loudly as she was barely able to lift his body enough to circle her hands underneath. She sighed, and relaxed. There was no way she would be able to move him like this. Putting all her weight into a backwards lean, she tried to remove her hands. They came free in a sudden motion, causing her to loose balance and fall backwards onto her backside.

Brushing her hands on her torn jeans, she stood up again. There had to be something in the container that would help her, she was sure of it. The thick cloud cover made it harder to see in here though, and she blinked repeatedly, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dim light. Another box of jerky and dried fruits, that wouldn't help her. The fact that the crates were unlabelled made searching a chore. A tremendous crack of thunder made her jump, and after a moments pause while the rumblings subsided, she began her search once again with a renewed frenzy.

An eerie silence fell upon the jungle as she found a suitable tool. Miria knew then she had to hurry. Grabbing the tarpaulin, she darted outside to where the hunter lay. Hurriedly, she unfolded it beside him, cursing repeatedly as a rising wind made her task more difficult. Using the hunters discarded armor to weigh down the corners, she straightened it out as best she could. Scurrying to his other side, she kneeled down beside him. A blinding flash preceded the next clap of thunder, and with it came the first large droplets of rain. Gritting her teeth, she put all her strength into rolling the huge lump of a hunter onto the tarp.

It took three attempts, and her end result was sloppy, but she had no time for precision as the rain drops began to fall with a faster pace. Face down, the predator was at least on the sheet of plastic, and taking two corners, she leaned right into it as she began to drag. A few moments of expended effort passed before she could get any movement from the unconscious form on the makeshift drag. She almost lost her footing as she began to move backwards, and the ground was becoming sodden as the clouds burst above her.

"Come on!" she cried out, as she lost grip on the now slippery tarp as the deluge began. Scrambling to grab adequate handfuls, she wrapped the plastic around her fists. Her thighs and biceps burned as she put all her strength into moving the creature. Inch by agonizing inch they crept, thoroughly saturated by the time she slumped to the floor of the container, breathing heavily. The hunters face down head lay across her shins where she had fallen, and she kicked and struggled, trying to free her aching limbs from the excessive weight.

Miria leaned back against a supply create, trying to catch her breath as she pushed wet locks of hair from her face. She was saturated through, and she suddenly felt like her efforts had been worthless. But as the sheets of rain pelted down outside, she was forced the rethink that last thought. Spent, she let her eyelids fall shut for a moment, listening as the violent storm assaulted the jungle around her.

Even with closed eyes, Miria still noted the brightest lightning flashes, and was able to brace herself for the tremendous cracks of thunder. Her breathing was now almost back to normal, but she still remained slumped in the same position against the crate. She was enjoying the drumming of the rain on the top of the steel container. Letting the sound sooth her aching body in an oddly therapeutic manner. Her moment of calm did not last long however, as she was jerked back to the real world by a soft trill that sounded way to close for comfort.

As her own eyes shot open, she glared into a perfectly amber and glistening set, staring straight at her. Mirias body tensed immediately, and she was so afraid she couldn't draw breath. The creature was propped up on his forearm. His lower mandibles clicked together as another unearthly noise emanated from within its chest. She could only watch, frozen with fear, as remaining droplets clung to the quills on each side of its face. But its eyes! They held her captivated, and though it was likely only for moments, it felt like a lifetime.

Miria did the only thing she could bring herself to do. The only scenario she could bring her mind to conjure. And as the next flash of lightning lit up the storage container, she shot out of her sitting position, and headlong into the battering rain.

Miria was crouched now at the bottom of her hollowed tree. The rain was blowing billows of moisture inside, and she was still drenched to her core. The damp and slippery tree trunk had prevented her from being able to climb it. Although she supposed that being higher up would put her at more risk of being struck by lightning. Death by lightning, she supposed, may not be so bad as having her spinal column torn from her body, she considered. Just the thought of those bright yellow eyes chilled her more than her current damp predicament, and she shivered involuntarily.

Some hours had passed since she had fled the container, and the dim afternoon light had given way to the pitch black cover of night. The rain had eased slightly, and whilst the downpour was still a continuous fall, the initial power of the storm had long subsided. Miria was petrified. Too many unanswered questions were rattling her mind, and she couldn't get her head straight for the life of her. Was the hunter recovered enough to do her harm? Would he _wan_t to do her harm? Did he know she had tried to help him? Hell, he may have fallen back into unconsciousness for all she knew. Perhaps moving him had reopened old wounds? There was only one way she would know all this for sure. And if he was recovered, there was nowhere she could run to on this planet where they wouldn't find her. She considered herself extremely lucky the initial hunters had been too preoccupied with the human offerings to even notice her.

She gulped, her heart still fluttering unsteadily with nerves. The more she thought about it, the more she realised her discomfort stemmed from these unanswered questions. But even if she mustered the nerve to check for herself, she couldn't see more than two feet in front of her. Far off lightning bolts illuminated the surrounds for moments only. It wasn't enough to be able to make her way back to the container. Or was it?

She considered how well she knew the path she had made that led to and from the supply drop. She clenched her eyes shut in an effort to recall various landmarks, and the general direction. She knew that from the position she was sitting in, she was already facing towards the path. She counted during the next few lightning bolts, careful calculating how much light she would have during each one, and roughly how far she would be able to get.

Miria stood then, deciding that she had two choices on this planet. Sit around, waiting to die, not having done anything to prevent it. Or die here knowing she gave it everything she had. She could face her fears, and even if she didn't emerge victorious or successful, at least she had tried to do something more than merely exist.

She braced herself, ready to run. In a last minute decision, she kicked of her waterlogged boots, and stripped the socks from her feet. She didn't think the ground would be too rough to tread upon after the rain, but as it was, her wet boots had felt like leaden weights. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and she tried fervently not to think about what potentially lay waiting for her at the other end of the obstacle course. Miria focused instead on the immediate task in front of her. And with the next bolt of lightning, she shot herself out into the drenching rain.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

No sooner had she crashed into the side of the container, that she regretted her boldness. She didn't even consider the fact that she wouldn't be able to see in the darkness of night. She now felt very foolish, standing out in the soaking rain, self-confidence lost as the fear crept back in. Fear. One of the strongest survival instincts. People feared things because they were generally dangerous. And that fear was what kept them at a safe distance. But not Miria. She had to let her curiosity win over. She began to tremble, and after a moment, she realised she was sobbing quietly too. As her tears began to mingle with the rain on her face, she lost hope once again.

Her dark brown hair was matted to her head, clinging to her face and shoulders uncomfortably. Her faded jeans were grubby and now muddy, as well as torn at both knees. She was cold and shivering, but all these minor discomforts were a spit in the ocean when compared with her fear and anxiety. She wasn't sure how long she had been standing there, her back pressed hard into the container wall in a meek effort to try and escape some of storms assault. She had almost closed out the realities of her current situation, slipping into the dark void of despair and helplessness. But a rough grip on her forearm jerked her back to the present.

She could not see, but she knew. His grip was tight, and his large hand encircled her small arm easily. Miria opened her mouth to scream, but panic rendered her mute. She choked on her sobs, and blinked repeatedly, trying to gain some sort of focus on the figure in the dark. But it was useless. Above the rain, she heard the low grumble emanating from the creatures chest. He made a sharp tug on her arm, and for a moment she thought she was about to have her limb ripped right off. But she realized after her moment of confusion that she was only being pulled into the container. Her bare feet slipped in the mud, but the firm grip on her arm kept her from falling.

Inside the container, the noise of the rain on the steel was almost deafening. She was relieved as the hunter released her arm once they had entered the shelter, and she rubbed her arm where he had gripped her tightly. She strained to listen for the creatures movements, and determined he had moved to the very back of the container. A loud shuffle told her that he had lowered himself back to the floor, a little awkwardly also she thought. Perhaps he was still recovering and regaining his former strength?

She could not bring herself to budge from where she was cowering just inside the doorway of the container. She partly blamed her inability to see as a reason for being frozen stiff. But largely it was the fact that somewhere before her, encapsulated by the cover of darkness, was a cold blooded killing machine, who hunted her kind for mere sport. Yes, she may have aided him in his recovery, but she knew not if the creature even realized she had helped. Or if this would even make a difference in the way she would now be treated.

She heard a further scuffling sound, and was surprised when a dull, red flashing light illuminated the far end of the container with a soft glow. It wasn't much light, but it was enough for her to make out the basic shapes and outlines before her. She watched wide eyed as the hunter sat the blinking device down beside him where he sat. He was indeed slumped back against the crates, and was watching her as keenly as she eyed him. She knew these beings saw in infrared. So why did he suddenly provide the light source? Perhaps the gadget was for some other purpose?

His low trilling noise made her jump, and she swallowed hard, trying to force down the choking lump in her throat. But the creature made no further movements that would appear threatening. In fact, he appeared rather dismal still, in his somewhat incapacitated state. She jumped as he suddenly made a gesture of sorts with his hands. And she wondered if he was trying to communicate with her. When he repeated the same movement, she realised it was indeed his intent. But the gestures were very foreign to her, and the creature merely grunted, and let his hands fall back to his sides when he realised Miria failed to understand his meaning. She watched as his eyes fell closed, and he let his head fall backwards as he rested. His left hand came up to his chest, and he poked gingerly at his wound. Another growl told her that these injuries still caused him pain, and she guessed that moving him earlier that afternoon may have had some part in that.

Eventually, she let herself sink to the floor of the container, and hugged her knees to her chest. She couldn't bring herself to take her eyes off the predator that was only a handful of paces away from her. He seemed to be resting now. But it didn't ease her discomfort any. He may not have hurt her yet, but she knew he was still recovering. She began to question however, what in the hell had drawn her to help him in the first place? She had the oddest feeling that it could very well be her downfall, and the means of her end. But she also knew that it may have been the only chance of her survival. And she clung to the primitive instincts of survival, as apposed to those that would allow her to give up on herself.

She wasn't sure at what point she had drifted off. She only remembered watching the hunter, and being unable to draw her gaze away. But fatigue had eventually forced Miria to succumb to the oblivion that was slumber. When she woke suddenly, she was almost relieved to see that the hunter was still in the exact same place he had also fallen. However, he was now wide awake and sitting upright as he tended to his wounds. She watched as he ripped the human gauze dressings from his thigh, where she had assumed him to have been shot. Dawn and the light it bought with it pleased her somewhat, and made her slightly more comfortable. The rain had also stopped while she had slept, and the various odd little noises the hunter made had her well intrigued. It seemed like he was chittering away to himself for a moment, until his gaze lifted, and he looked at her right in the eyes. She knew then, she had been foolish to think he wasn't aware of her intrusive gaze. She realized the noises he was making were an acknowledgement of sorts.

Un-phased by his audience, the hunter continued to tend his wounds. She watched curiously now as he applied his alien treatments. He didn't appear to be disgruntled by her own poor efforts at treating him, and looked up at her every so often, his mandibles twitching away as if trying to tell her something.

She realised though that she may be completely misinterpreting these actions. She was only assuming this creature was somewhat relatable to her own human species. She tried to push that thought from her mind. It comforted herself somewhat to allow her mind the think they possibly held some similarities between the species.

The morning grew brighter as the sun rose higher, and Miria could only watch with fascination as the hunter continued to fiddle with his armor after he finished tending his wounds. Her body grew stiff and sore however, and she was still damp from being caught in the deluge this night past. She needed to move, to stretch, to eat, but she was afraid to move. She coughed involuntarily as her throat grew parched. As she feared, her actions caught the hunters' attention. His head cocked to the side as he eyed her curiously, and she wondered if now was the time to take her leave. Would he allow her to move? He had made no inclination that she was a prisoner as such. But neither had she attempted to evade him.

She sighed, and knew there was only one way to test these theories. She rubbed er hands to her sore eyes, and jumped as a hard object thumped her in the shins.

'Ouch!' She cried, as she looked around for what had hit her. She was surprised to see the hunter had tossed a canteen of water at her. She looked up and met his piercing amber eyes. He returned a bark like noise, combined with a hand gesture of sorts, before continuing with his damaged armor. She grabbed the canteen and hastily unscrewed the lid. Sniffing the contents as a precaution, she determined it was safe, and took a much needed swig. She was somewhat thankful that the creature seemed to be aware of her needs, and took the opportunity to further test her many unanswered questions.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Over the duration of a few hours, Miria had come to learn that the hunter cared little about her goings on, or her movements. She was always wary and careful not to make any sudden movements however, she didn't want to startle him or cause any confusion. The predator was quite placated in his recovery, and expended as little energy as possible. Hours at a time would pass before she would note a change in his position, which was always sitting, and most often leaning back against the crates. She stayed as far away from him as possible, without venturing too far. She feared angering him, and whilst he didn't seem to mind her presence at the moment, she wasn't sure he would be of the same frame of mind once he was fully healed.

Miria had just retrieved her boots from where she had left them in the storm, and was crouched in the clearing not too far from the container. She was trying to pry off the abundance of caked on mud with a sharp twig when the hunter made a loud bark like noise. Startled, she spin so fast that she lost her balance, and felt like an awkward fool as she regained her footing. She had a clear view into the container, and once the creature had her attention, he yipped again. Was he summoning her? She wondered as he made a series of hand motions that seemed as if he was beckoning her to come closer. When she slowly moved towards the container, he let off a high pitched trill, that appeared to Miria as if he was happy with her compliance. She paused at the doorway, and the hunter flicked his head, beckoning her yet closer. He emanated a soft clicking noise from his throat, the noise was oddly reassuring that she was doing what he wanted.

She crouched before him when she reached his feet, and he lifted an instrument for her perusal. She looked at the object he held before her, and jumped when the device sprung open as he pressed a small plunger. A small amount of amber fluid leaked from the tip of the steel tubing, and she realised them that this was a syringe of sorts.

"Oh!" she gasped as the realisation dawned over her, and then confusion once again clouded her features as she wondered why he would be showing her such a thing. He held his hand out, palm facing up, offering the device to her. She took it slowly, examining it carefully, and holding it like she would a delicate flower that would fall apart at her touch. Once she had the instrument, he leaned forward, groaning somewhat at the movement. Miria realized that this caused him discomfort, and knew then that whatever this needle held, was to aide in his healing.

The hunter touched his hand to his shoulder, and then pointed to the needle_. Is he that big of a sook_ _that he cant give himself a needle?_ She thought for a moment. She swallowed hard, not sure she wanted to perform such a task. She shuffled around to his side carefully, becoming uneasy with the close proximity to the hunter.

"Ah, here?" She lifted a finger to his shoulder, surprised at how damp and clammy his lumpy skin felt. She was answered with a gruff bark and a shake of the head as the creature once again clawed at his shoulder and neck, whilst trying to flick his odd hair to the side. Perhaps he meant further back? Miria lifted her finger again, touching his shoulder blade as her leaned forward. He didn't give such a gruff sounding answer this time, but he still didn't seem pleased.

'Um… Whoa!' She cried as her grabbed her by the arm, and spun her around. His handling of her was rough, and she sensed his frustration. She shivered involuntarily as she felt his finger pressed at the bottom of her skull. She had a sudden impulse to recoil, and she gulped as she clenched her eyes and tried to pay attention to what he was trying to tell her. His finger began moving slowly, and she realised then that he was counting her vertebrae. _Oh god, he wants it in his spine?_

The combination of the hunters finger trailing slowly down her spine and the task before her, made her a little giddy. His finger stopped just below her shoulder blades, and he pressed firmly for emphasis.

'Ouch! Ok, ok, I get it' Miria turned around to face him again, and met his staring eyes. His mandibles twitched and clicked together, and he gestured towards his own back once again. Miria positioned herself behind him, and took a few deep breaths to calm her jittery nerves. She raised her finger to the top of his spine, pressing firmly to feel his bone structure beneath. It was no easy task, he was well muscled. She counted slowly, her finger sliding easily over his clammy skin. When she got the where she thought was the same point she leaned forward.

'Um, here?' She pressed firmly, the same way he had emphasised, to try and get her question across. She was surprised when he nodded, and the humanly gesture reassured her, even as he trilled an odd sounding verbal response.

She took another deep breath and clenched her eyes together for a moment, not daring to remove her finger from the location where she was to inject the amber substance. From the moment she opened her eyes she set herself with a grim determination.

'Ok, hope you're ready' she wasn't sure why she spoke, not knowing if he understood her or not, but he seemed to brace himself as she touched the point to his skin, and then pushed hard. She almost gagged as it made a horrible pop as it broke his skin and slid into his flesh. She pressed the plunger all the way in, and withdrew the instrument quickly.

She couldn't say she was surprised that it hurt him, but she wasn't expecting his head to fling backwards, or to connect forcefully with her own. She didn't have time to let out her own wail of pain as her vision went black and she slipped into the oblivion of unconsciousness.

Miria felt giddy as she began to rouse. She felt as if she was falling, and it took a few moments to realise she was indeed moving. She forced her eyelids open, and squinted as the glittering sunlight tried to find its way through the forest canopy. She clenched her eyes shut again as a wave of nausea almost consumed her. But after swallowing hard several times, it thankfully passed. She opened her eyes again, and realised almost instantly why she felt like she was moving. She was being carried!

She began to squirm when she had woken enough to realise the hunter was carrying her off somewhere. Her struggles were met with the tightening of his arms around her small figure, and a disgruntled sounding growl. The hunter stopped in his tracks, and as Miria ceased her struggling, he set her down on the ground. Her head pounded something fierce as she tried to keep her feet. But shamefully, her knees buckled, and the hunter reached out to steady her as she slowly lowered herself to the ground. She was surprised when he handed her a flask of water. She nodded her thanks, and took a cautious sip as he crouched beside her on the ground.

Miria realised then that the hunter was now wearing a mask. He had not been wearing it when he had first shown up, and she was now curious as to how long she had been out for, and how far they had travelled. She was quickly becoming overwhelmed as her racing mind aggravated her recent head injury. So many questions she needed answers to. But the more she tried to decipher her surroundings the harder it became to focus on anything at all. She didn't realise she was swaying until the large hand on her shoulder steadied her.

Miria swallowed hard, choking down the acrid taste of bile as nausea threatened to overcome her. There was too much to think about. She was weak, vulnerable, and helpless. She was at the complete mercy of this hunter, and the thought alone terrified her. In her concussed state, her mind failed to see that he was in fact aiding her.

Vaguely her mind registered the thunderous explosion somewhere in the distance. The last thing she remembered before slipping back into the black depths of unconsciousness was the strong arms lifting her off the ground once again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

For a moment she hadn't realised she had opened her eyes. But after blinking hard several times, comprehension washed over her. It was night again. Mirias head still throbbed, and she struggled to push herself into a sitting position, trying not to let the panic overcome her as she tried to decipher her surroundings. The air was heavy with humidity, and her ragged clothing clung to her perspiring skin. She felt weak, which was probably from lack of decent nourishment.

Rock. Beneath her was hard rock, she could tell. She noticed to her left were some faint shadows, and she hoped that it meant her eyes were beginning to adjust. She strained to listen for any noise, but her ears were still ringing. She had received quite a blow to the head, and she felt the large swollen lump as she raised her hand to touch it. No doubt her eyes were black and horrid looking she thought. No sooner had the thought left her mind and she almost burst out laughing. What did it matter of her appearance here? That wasn't going to help her now. She had been told back home that she had a natural pretty and dainty face. But that counted for naught here.

She jumped as she heard the low trill behind her. She knew immediately who and what it was. But that thought was not enough to comfort her. The noises the hunter made still chilled her to the bone with their unearthly nature. And she remembered then. She remembered being carried through the forest. The hunter had seemingly been helping her. _Or carrying her off to enjoy her for dinner!_ She had to scold herself for assuming the good over the bad every time he did something for her.

But as the soft red light illuminated the small area in which they were hidden away in, she knew she wasn't about to become his next meal. The hunter sat leaning back against the far wall of a small cave. The cave itself was a decent size. Not cavernous enough to produce echoes, but enough room for two people to not be tripping over each other every time they turned around. It slopped down towards the back of the cave, and Miria thought she could hear the soft trickling of flowing water. It was about 10 paces or so across the opening of the cave, and she noted that she would probably have to duck in order not to give herself another concussion upon exiting.

The clicking bought her attention back to the hunter. When she turned to face him again, he motioned to a pile of things on the ground close by her. Miria recognised the backpack straight away, as well as the couple of canteens. There was also a small plastic box, and a canvas bag which held god only knows what. Well, the hunter had definitely considered things carefully if he had thought to bring supplies along for her. What was his plan for her? She did not yet think she was out of dangers way when it came to being this predators prey. But yet, when she studied the necessities he had thought to bring along for her own comfort, a smile tugged at the corners of her rosy lips.

She turned her face away from the hunter quickly when she realised her response, and felt her cheeks warming. She ascertained that this creature knew far more of her species than she did of his. He knew what she needed to survive. He knew that she needed the light source in the darkened cavity to enable her to see. What else did he know of her?

A thought dawned on her then. Had he known she was watching him when he first stumbled into the clearing near her hideout? He seemed oblivious at the time, but she couldn't say it would surprise her if he was aware of her presence right from the very beginning.

Miria wrapped her arms around her body as she shivered with the uncomfortable thought. She felt so alone. She had accepted her fate of dying on this forsaken planet. She wasn't giving up on living. She just couldn't see an alien hunter returning her safely to her home planet. She turned to glance at the Predator, and noted that he was grinding a substance with pumice like stone in a small bowl. He glanced towards her briefly, his helmet now removed, and she watched as his mandibles clicked together in an apparent form of communication. She sighed, turning back around and leaning her head forward to rest on her own knees which she still hugged tightly.

He was a complete mystery to her. This was partly her own fault, for not listening well enough in school. The times she had been listening seemed to supply her with useless facts about the Yautja race, which would fail to serve her any good now. Besides that, it had been several years now since she had finished school, and she wasn't sure if she even remembered correctly.

She flinched involuntarily when the creature took her by surprise as he crouched before her. She eyed the bowl that he was holding, and noted the slimy substance it held within. She withdrew a little, huddling backwards a little further as her mind tried to decipher what he was trying to convey to her. His soft trilling seemed as if it was meant to reassure her as he stirred the sticky substance some more. He leaned closer to her again, closing the distance between them. The hunter himself seemed a little hesitant when he reached out to her slowly with his free hand. Miria forced herself to be still, and not to recoil from his touch in case she might offend him.

She was surprised when he pushed back the dark hair that fell across her face, and revealed the sore and tender lump on her forehead. _He wants to treat my wound!_ She realized immediately as he ran his fingers over the bruise on her head. It was extremely sore, and at the sting of his touch, she knew the skin must be broken. Miria wondered if he was sorry for causing her the injury, and almost laughed at the thought. _This creature rips human spinal columns out while they are still breathing, why would he feel bad about a bump on the head?_ Perhaps this was his repayment for her treating his own wounds. Perhaps keeping her alive was his repayment for her own deeds?

She braced herself as the hunter dipped two fingers into the substance, and then lifted it to her wound. It stung like crazy as it made contact with her skin, and she noted it had a foul smell to boot. She gritted her teeth and pursed her lips in an effort not to cry out and make a fool of herself. But he worked quickly, and before she knew it, the task was complete. She breathed a sigh of relief, and though the after burn of the ointment on her wound was only just bearable, she felt a slight numbing sensation begin to take over the aching.

Miria had made herself comfortable on the opposite side of the cave to where the hunter had positioned himself. She was examining the contents of the canvas backpack in the dim light, and was impressed with what the hunter had thought to grab for her. A basic first aid kit had been contained within the plastic box too. For the most part he had bought food. Dried fruits and nuts, jerky and some tinned foods just to name a few. But all of which were of a non-perishable nature of sorts, and she sensed there was a reason for his choosing these particular items. But there was also a small hunting knife, and she wondered if this meant that he trusted her enough to leave her with a weapon. There was also a flare gun, a lighter and fluid, and a small coil of wire. It was the coil of wire that confused her out of these items, but she didn't have time to ponder on it then.

She stood as the hunter walked towards her. His very appearance chilled her, as he was now fully armed and appeared to be ready for something much more sinister than a mere camping trip. The soft glowing red light illuminated his clammy and damp skin in an eerie manner. He held his bio helmet in one hand, and placed his free hand on her shoulder once he closed the distance between them. His large hand had a way of making her feel incredibly small and fragile and glancing up at his gnarly face only reinforced these feelings within her.

He voiced something to her in the way of low growls and clicking trills. She genuinely tried to find understanding in his dialog, but sighed in frustration and slowly shook her head. The creature then too seemed to grunt in frustration, and he clamped his hand down hard on her shoulder again, reinforcing his action. His next gesture he seemed to be pointing towards the ground. He did this twice, before barking gruffly, and began backing towards the caves entrance. He had replaced his bio by the time he had reached the opening, and he turned back towards Miria for a brief moment before ducking out into the darkness.

Miria stood dumbfounded for a long moment, rooted to the spot where he had left her standing in confusion. The realisation dawned over her then. She looked back towards the supplies. The food and the tools, as well as the more than adequate shelter…

The hunter had left her to defend for herself.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

It was well into the morning when Miria had worked up enough courage to venture outside of the protection of the cave. She quickly discovered that the cave was much cooler in comparison to the sticky and humid jungle. Studying her surrounds carefully, she identified several landmarks that would aide her in finding her way back. She also noticed that despite the almost undisturbed view from inside the cave, the entrance was almost fully concealed with vines and branches that hung from the overhanging rock. A large tree trunk had fallen from the top of the cliff which was around 4 times her height. She noted that the decaying column may serve her as a ladder of sorts, and may make for a quick escape route should she need one.

To her right was the east, and the ground sloped away steeply after a short distance. Making her way to the edge of the decline, she could hear gushing water once again, and figured that the water course running through the back of the cave must have run its emerged from the side of the mountain. Curious as to the whereabouts of this new water source, she began to trek her way towards the noise. Glancing back to the safety of her cave one last time, she fingered the small hunting knife in her belt before moving onwards cautiously.

Coming to a break in the canopy, Miria looked out at the view before her. Below was the valley in which she had originated from. The predator had brought them up to a more convenient and elevated position. She was caught up in the spectacular beauty of the view for a moment, drinking in the serenity and allowing herself a moment of relaxation. High above her the faint silhouette of one of the planets moons took her breath away. It filled a large portion of the sky, and she wondered how bright it would make the nights during a full moon.

Sighing, she moved onwards again. She knew it wasn't too far ahead of her to the water course now, but some heavy brush concealed the way. Hesitantly, she made her way further down the hillside in attempt to find a break in the thorny foliage. She didn't have to search too far when she found access. It was a small trail, probably used by creatures much smaller than her, she thought as she crawled her way through.

Miria brushed the damp soil from her knees as she emerged from the bushes. She was thankful she didn't have to crawl too far, the knees of her faded blue jeans had given out long ago, and her skin was already dotted and pink from the short crawl. But as she glanced out over the sparkling lagoon, she decided it was well worth the discomfort.

A waterfall fell from midway up a rocky cliff, and she determined that this was the same rivulet that flowed through her cave. She was so close to the safety of her secluded hideaway, and yet so far at the same time. The pools reflections where like glittering diamonds as the gap in the forest canopy allowed ample sunlight to filter though. It appeared so invitingly cool, and she longed to plunge into the crystal water. But she knew better. This planet was still very alien to her, despite her time inhabiting it. For the most part, she hadn't done much exploring; sticking to what she knew was safe.

Miria knew though that she wouldn't be able to survive that way. She needed to learn this planets secrets. Water was probably the priority on that list. And this water source seemed to be the best she had seen so far. She carefully began making her way down the rocky escarpment, being careful not to overly disturb any of the features of the landscape. She crouched beside the waters' edge, and studied the body of water carefully for a long while. Creatures chattered in the forest all around her, an indication to her that the location was somewhat safe and undisturbed by the jungles natural predators.

Miria jumped as a group of small critters emerged from the brush at the side of the pool. They bustled around the opposite shoreline, rooting around the rocks and mud with their broad snouts. They seemed unaware of her presence. Either that or they just deemed her as nonthreatening. She sat back on a rock and observed the hog like creatures. The group seemed to have two adults, with several juveniles half their size, and slightly different coloring. They were bristled coarsely over their brown striped leathery skin. Their heads were much smaller than a normal hogs head, but their snouts were broad and flat, and Miria noted the several large tusks that protruded from the elder pairs mouths. They were no bigger than a medium sized dog, and seemed quite placid in nature.

She watched as they splashed around in the shallows of the pool, and noted that the creatures did not seem wary of the pool or what its inhabitants might be. She took this as a reassuring sign, and was somewhat pleased by it. However, as the time dragged out, she began to get cramps in her thighs, and reluctantly stood up. She was expecting it, but was disappointed none the less as the little hog like animals scurried off in alarm. She sighed, and crept as close as she could to the water's edge, leaning down the wash her hands. She had not washed since arriving on the planet, her only cleansing was being caught in the rain storm. Her dark hair was matted and grotty. Her skin was several shades darker with the coating of accumulated grime. The hogs (she had decided that's what she would call them) had seemed unafraid of the pool. Perhaps it would be safe for her to bathe quickly.

She was just about to remove her stained T-shirt when she heard the boom in the distance. It had come from far across the valley, but it still frightened her. Had it been the hunter? Were there still people alive on this planet? She suddenly felt unsafe, and began hurriedly making her way back to the cave. She didn't think it was from a human. She had heard as many noisy deaths as there had been people delivered. Her gut feeling told her it came from _her_ hunter. She scolded herself not for worrying about her own safety, but for feeling concerned about the Predator that had seemingly tried to hide her away in a safe location.

Back in her cave she had hidden, and despite that there had been no more disturbances, some hours had passed before she felt it safe to emerge. She stood now just outside the entrance of her cave, straining to listen to what may lay beyond her line of vision. She had decided that she couldn't live in her cave like a frightened mouse for ever, and she needed to determine a method that would advise her of any intruders. There was an odd tension in the air, and she turned suddenly as some winged creatures took startled flight from nearby in the forest canopy. But all else remained still and silent. The hair on the back of Mirias' neck stood on end, and she knew something was out there. _Someone_ was out there, she corrected herself. She could feel the eyes on her as her own darted around the scenery for some clue as to what was out there. She could barely hear above the thumping of her heart in her chest, and she tried fervently to steady her breathing and concentrate. If she ran for the cover of her cave now, her hideaway would be revealed. Not to mention she would be cornered helplessly, with a mere knife her only means of a weapon. She glanced around at her other options as she reached for said knife at her side.

Perhaps she had nothing to fear. Perhaps it was the hunter returning? She pondered on that comforting thought for a moment, but quickly dashed it aside. If it was he, would he feel the need to be hiding from her? Would he be sneaking around concealing himself from her? She thought not.

A shimmer of a reflection caught her eye in the distant trees, and with lightning reflexes, she made a dash for the fallen tree truck that adjoined the top ledge above her cave. Her own agility surprised her as she climbed up the trunk with minimal effort. Once she reached the top, she paused for only a moment before sprinting off after another disturbance which had been notably closer.

She ran without knowing where to go. She merely kept a straight line through the forest, leaping over fallen branches and ducking under low limbs. Vines and leaves snagged at her clothing, and lashed at her skin. But she didn't have time to either be concerned with or allow herself to feel the stinging pain. She was beginning to tire, but the adrenalin coursing through her body was enough to keep her going at reasonable speed. Her instincts told her well before she heard the rustling and thrashing behind her that her pursuer was hot on her tail.

Her legs became heavy as she forced herself onward. Fear began to replace the adrenalin, and the urgency of escape became fogged with fatigue. She choked back a sob as her watering eyes began to cloud her vision. _This was it_, she thought. _This is where I am going to die_. She stumbled as she began to descend the slope of the mountain, and as she fell, she turned to face her attacker. She was hit hard in the sternum by a seemingly invisible object. But as the wind was knocked from her chest, she saw the hazy form of a reflection of the jungle. It was one of them…

The force of her fall and the hit from the attacker was enough to send them both into a roll down the slope. Head over heels they both tumbled, a tangled mess of limbs and branches and debris. The predators body connected sharply with a fallen log, and it wailed in pain as they landed in a heap. Miria felt the crushing weight of her attackers' body on hers when they finally skidded to a halt on a small plateau. And as the hunters cloaking device fizzled and malfunctioned, she opened her mouth to scream as the form of a Predator appeared above her. Before her voice could be heard, its large hand was clamped down over her face.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Just a second before she was consumed with panic, Miria recognised who it was that lain above her. Her heart was beating so hard and fast that she thought her chest was going to explode, and she was still trying to regain her breath after the tackling blow had winded her. But her fear quickly gave way to anger as the hunter removed his hand from her mouth. She gulped in the air as she tried to catch her breath, and her brow furrowed as she shoved the creature off of her.

'_You!_' She ground out furiously, her voice only a fraction above a whisper. The hunter merely groaned as he lay on his back on the ground, seemingly disorientated from the fall himself. Miria paced back and forth on the spot, waiting for the hunter to get to his feet. Why had he felt the need to chase her down like that? She had been scared beyond wits end, and there had been no need for it as far as she could tell. She clenched and unclenched her fists. She had an overwhelming urge to kick the creature where he lay. But she knew better than to let her anger consume her completely. As angry as she was, this being before her was far more deadly and dangerous than she was.

She groaned and scuffed her feet into the damp soil as the hunter finally found his feet. She glared at him sharply as he removed his bio helmet, shaking dead leaves and dirt from it and his face. When his gaze finally met hers, his voice erupted in something that resembled laughter. _He's laughing at me now? _Mirias anger renewed as the hunter leaned forward on his knees, apparently enjoying the situation, along with provoking her.

'Fuck you!' She snapped angrily, and stormed off back in the direction in which they had fallen.

She wasn't sure how long they had been trudging up the hill. It wasn't overly steep, but her previous exertion of energy had left her feeling rather drained. The Hunter followed not too far behind her, and she was surprised he made no effort to take the lead in the trek back to the cave. She now felt humiliation for the fact that he had used her as such a means of amusement. For more than a few moments Miria was quite certain of and had accepted her death. She was more petrified than she had been in her entire life. She resented the hunter for playing with her so.

Miria swung over a fallen tree trunk, her heavy limbs dragging along the decaying object as she clambered over it. She paused suddenly as she went to brush the splinters from her torso. Studying first her shirt, and then the fallen tree, she waited for the Predator to draw nearer. He too paused when he reached the obstacle, eyeing her for only a moment before jumping over the log in an easy leap.

'Wait!' Miria called as the predator continued on up the hill. He paused with his back to her, and she cautiously approached him. The tree trunk had been covered in a bright green liquid, which was now also spread across her own hands and clothing. She realised now he had been badly injured when he had cried out in pain mid tumble. Studying his back, she could tell he still had large pieces of splinter stuck beneath his skin, though it was now hard to tel with the amount of blood that was seeping though. It had struck him right between the shoulder blades, and she was immediately thankful that it had been him who had come into contact with the log. If she had attained a blow like that, she would have likely not survived. His mandibles clicked together and he voiced a soft trill as she lifted some of his blood soaked hair to get a better look at his wound. He was far too tall for her to get a decent look, and him being on the higher side of the slope didn't make it any easier for her.

Before Miria could do any more the hunter abruptly pulled away, and continued onwards up the hill. After her most recent discovery Miria didn't feel quite so angry at him anymore. She had perhaps been closer to death than she thought. It was simply sheer luck what kept her breathing now.

It had been such a long walk back to the cave that Miria had at times thought they had strayed off the path and passed it. She was in disbelief at how far and how fast she had travelled whilst the predator had been in hot pursuit. The afternoon sun had dipped below the mountains in the distance, and the afternoon was pleasantly cooler than it had been for a while. Inside the cave, she would describe the temperature as being almost cold. But in her exhausted state she didn't care. _What now?_ She pondered, plonking down heavily on the opposite side of the cave to the hunter. He needed his wounds cleaned out and tended to. Leaving the debris in there would surely only mean bad things further down the track.

'You need those splinters picked out of your back. You know that right?' Miria wasn't sure what prompted her to speak out loud, but she was startled when the hunter held up his medkit and nodded to it in response to her question. It took a moment for this to register in Mirias fatigued mind, but she jumped to her feet when it finally dawned on her.

'Wait!' she took a deep breath as she approached the crouching hunter 'You understand me? You know what I'm _saying_?' She was returned with a shrug from the hunter, and he met her eyes for only a moment. But it was enough to confirm that he did indeed understand what she was saying. She was dumbfounded for a moment, before realising that it didn't make all that much of a difference anyway.

'Well, we need to sort out that nasty gash on your back' She pointed timidly as the hunter glared at her, and it didn't take her long to discover he didn't like being told what he had to do. His gruff bark was short and sharp, he appeared in a somewhat snappy mood. She couldn't blame him really, he must have been in a substantial amount of pain. His wound was no scratch, and it had continuously dripped of his fluorescent green blood.

'Fine. Forgive me for wanting to help' Miria mumbled, and turned to head back to her side of the cave. But no sooner had she turned and a large hand clamped down over her shoulder. She turned to face the predator again. His mandibles clicked together quietly, and his low chittering was nothing like his earlier threatening growls. He held up the med kit, then nodded towards the cave entrance. Miria sighed, and smiled weakly at the hunter before following him out of the cave.

She had made him sit on a large rock so that she could easily reach the wound in his back. From his med kit she had taken tweezers and a scalpel like instrument. She tried to calm her racing heart as she prepared herself to delve into his gory wound. Despite the fact that this wound didn't seem as life threatening as the first time she had treated him, this seemed by far the worse task of the two incidents.

Taking a deep breath, she pushed his hair aside and studied his back. She couldn't see much now for the amount of blood, and she quickly realised she would need to clean the area before she was able to do anything with it.

'Water. We need to be closer to the water so I can clean all the blood away. I cant see the splinters to remove them' Miria stood before the hunter now, and he watched her face carefully as she spoke. She was surprised when her words seemed to register with him, and he grumbled as he stood. She quickly grabbed up te medical kit and instruments and followed the hunter down to the little lagoon.

The light of the afternoon was fast fading by the time she had finally set to work treating the hunters back. The splinters were quite easy to pull out once she could see them, and as she removed them precariously, the predator was preparing some of the same gooey blue gel she had used to smear over his wounds when she first treated him. When she was done with the splinters she was handed to small dish of goo, and she braced herself for the response it would illicit from the hunter. When she smeared the first spoonful on he growled loudly and she watched as every muscle in his body seem to tighten and tense. The second spoonful found him with a little less control. His howl disturbed nearby creatures that were trying to settle down for the evening. Miria tried to work quickly so it was over and done with. Truth be told, despite the fact that she was doing this in his aide, it still terrified her to see him enraged so.

The hunter seemed relieved as she sat the empty pan in front of him. His shoulders still heaved with his laboured breathing and he was hunched over and leaning on his knees. Miria gave him space and went to the water's edge to wash her hands. She took the opportunity to removed her boots, and stepped into ankle deep water. It was so warm as the flowing stream caressed her ankles, and she sighed with the simple pleasure of it. Examining her pants she decided that something had to be done. Her jeans no longer resembled what they should have, and now appeared as mere rags, ripped and torn and being held to her form by mere threads. Her earlier dash through the jungle had done them no good at all, and taking the knife from its pouch at her side, she set to purpose.

Once both pant legs had been trimmed to mid-thigh, she was surprised at how much less cumbersome they felt. Tossing the fabric scraps to the rocks on the shore, she sheathed the knife after deciding not much could be done about the despicable state of her T-shirt. She was just about to bend and continue her bath of sorts when she felt the large hand in the middle of her back. Before she could turn to question him, the hunter had given her a hard shove. Miria splashed around in waist deep water trying to right herself, and as she coughed up lungful's of water she glared at the hunter, who once again had provoked her for the purpose of his own amusement. Her scowls seemed to only amuse him further, and after much staring on her part his barking laughter eased and he responded with another careless shrug.

The water was luxuriously warm, and Miria was suddenly glad for the hunters actions. She submerged herself again, allowing the steady flow of the water pull the grime from her body and clothes. When she resurfaced, her eyes met with the hunters. It was her turn to laugh at his wide eyed expression as he appeared to be in slight disbelief that she had turned his mockery back upon him. Miria boldly splashed some water in his direction, and his low growl warned her to be wary. She shrugged, nonplussed by his sombre mood. The warmth and exquisite sensation of the water restored her energy and renewed her faith in living again.

She had been floundering around carelessly for no more than a few minutes when the hunter caught her attention again. The light of day was waning, and she guessed he was ready to head back up to the cave. She didn't think she needed to be guarded like a child, but the hunter had sat silently and patiently while she enjoyed the late afternoon dip. She sighed as he approached the waters edge and she prepared herself to leave the luxury of the water. She was taken by complete surprise when the hunter removed his gauntlets and remaining armor, and then proceeded to wade further into the depths. Once the water lapped at his thighs he sat, leaning forward to wash his face.

Miria didn't realise she was staring until she was awoken from her trance with a gruff bark, then a splash in her direction. She spun to face the other direction, instantly feeling an odd discomfort at his proximity. It was a long moment before she turned back to face him, and she found him doing the same as she had been only moments earlier. He was simply taking a moment and enjoying the sweet caress of the water.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

'You have blood in your… um… hair' Miria stated as she had begun wading out of the pool. Her skin had begun to turn wrinkly. The hunter still sat in his same position, leaning forward over his knees and letting the water swirl about him. His mandibles clicked together in response, but he failed to open his eyes and look up at her where she stood beside him. He seemed in no hurry to move, and Miria realised that the darkness of night would not impair his vision like it would her own.

She didn't think his purpose for being in the water was to bathe, and he seemed to be taking care not to submerge his fresh wound under the water as he leaned forward. But his tentacle like hair had become congealed with the fluorescent green blood that had seeped from his back, and she noted how it caused the dreadlock like strands to cling together. She sighed. She was by no means an expert on the way these Yautja healed and recovered, but she didn't think the dirty and blood flaked hair over his wound would help it any in the healing process.

Miria waded up onto the rocky bank, and collecting the previously discarded scraps of her trouser legs that she had trimmed off earlier. Returning to the water, she washed them as best she could, and cautiously moved up behind the hunter where he sat in the shallows.

'Don't eat me' she mumbled as the hunter still failed to acknowledge her presence. And with yet again no visible response, she carefully lifted a handful of the blood-spattered hair. No sooner had she done so and he let out a snarling warning. Miria paused, and watched his face as he turned his head to the side.

'I just wanna get rid of this mess' She tried to explain, not sure if he understood her or not. But when she failed to move away the hunter let out a much louder growl, which startled her enough to cause her to loose balance and fall backwards in the pool. The shallow water did nothing to aid in breaking her fall, and her backside connected hard with the rocky bottom. She winced in pain as she tried to correct herself, and met the amber gaze of the annoyed hunter. Her cheeks turned crimson, and she averted her eyes. She felt foolish now, but when she heard the softer and more gentle trilling she could almost swear that he seemed sorry. His expression had shifted again when she glanced up at him this time, and he made an odd hand gesture as he returned to his previously relaxed position.

Miria was set with a determination now, foolish or not. But as she moved up behind the hunter again, she was relieved to not be met with reprimanding growls. She carefully started to wipe the blood from his hair, ignoring the soft grumbling emanating from the hunters chest. The task wasn't as easy as she assumed it to be, and she hoped she wasn't tugging too hard on the long black strands. Blood had clung to the intricately carved beads adorning his hair, and it was a tricky job to remove it.

'Where did you go anyway?' Miria asked, not expecting a response. She was surprised when he lifted his right arm, and with two fingers he pointed out across the valley.

'I heard something today. It… it sounded like an explosion?' She pushed on while the hunter was in a seemingly compliant mood. She watched as he rubbed his face, and it appeared as if he was trying to think of a way to explain where he had been and what he had been doing in terms that she would understand. He stood then, and she moved back out of his way as the water drained from his body. Facing her, he pounded his chest with a closed fist. Miria concentrated hard.

'You made the explosion?' she guessed, and he shook his head in response. He pounded his chest again, then lifted his hand, fingers splayed. He touched each of his fingertips slowly, and Miria thought he was counting something out.

'Five? Five what?' she asked in confusion. His response was to pound his own chest again, but this only confused Miria. Instead, the hunter reached out, clamping his hand over her shoulder, squeezing for emphasis. He lifted a single finger this time, pressing her shoulder as he did so.

'Oh, one of me?' She asked, and he nodded at her correct answer, then tapped his own chest again whilst holding up five fingers. 'And five of you?' Miria was confused for a moment, but her eyes widened when the comprehension of his gestures washed over her '_Five_ other predators?' She squeaked, and the hunter nodded slowly, emitting a soft growl. What alarmed her more so, was his next series of actions. He bought his two forefingers up before him, and made an x like symbol before her. She watched wide eyed as he then raised his hand to his neck, and drew his finger across the length or his shoulders, in a throat slashing motion.

'Five other_ bad_ predators?' She gulped as he nodded at her correct interpretation. Shaking herself from her dumbfounded trance, she followed the hunter as he began making his way back up to the cave, wondering what the presence of these apparently 'bad' predators would mean.

Darkness had engulfed the forest, and with it the temperature was dropping substantially. She was not yet uncomfortably cold, but she had noted the change in the weather patterns since her arrival. Fatigue was quickly overcoming Miria and the temperature no longer mattered to her. She slumped down against the cool rocks, and not even the jarring of her aching body as it hit the ground was enough to stir her from slipping into a restless slumber.

That night was the first time her nightmares occurred. She relived those first few days of her arrival on this hell hole of a planet. The spine tingling screams as the other humans met their deaths seemed all to real. She recalled watching the alien spacecraft leave the island once the predators hunt was complete. She relived the moment when the wounded hunter that was left for dead by his own appeared in the clearing by the container of supplies. But then she was running. Running through an alien jungle which left her disorientated and confused. Her baby brothers screams in the distance urged her on and gave her purpose. But she fell along the way, trapped in a void of darkness. She needed to escape. She needed to survive, if only to save her sibling whose cries still echoed in the distance, getting seemingly farther away with each cry. But something was approaching. Something dreadfully evil that would show no mercy. She bit her lip tight in an effort to stop herself from crying out and give away her position. But this evil knew where she was. And the panic welled up inside of her body until it consumed her completely. She couldn't restrain herself anymore, and as the smothering of dread encompassed her, she cried out for her life in a blood curdling scream.

The large hand on her shoulder shaking her gently roused her from her nightmare. Miria, though only half awake, became aware of the illusions her mind had produced. But she couldn't stop the trembling. The fear was all too real, and still clawed at her insides. She rubbed her face and blinked her eyes trying to regain her senses. But in the pitch dark of the cave all she could do was feel. The large pair of hands encircled her waist and pulled her closer. She realized after a moment of struggle that she was being pulled onto the hunters lap, where he held her close as if one would to a small child. With one hand on the back of her head, he pressed her gently to his chest, and Miria was surprised at how comforting the warmth of his embrace was. She heard the low rumblings from within the hunters chest that resembled the purring of a large feline. She didn't fight him. She was still too groggy and fatigued from the lack of much needed sleep. Instead she allowed herself to be comforted by him, and curled up in his lap as his arms tightened around her and his purrs lulled her into a much more restful sleep.

The dim light of dawn was beginning to illuminate the cave when Miria finally awoke again. As she forced her eyes open and her other senses began to adjust she began to recall the events of the night just passed. She watched the Hunters back as he crouched on the opposite side of the cave, arranging an assortment of weapons. She was surprised to discover that she now lay on a rather large pile of dried leaves and litter, as opposed to the previously cold and hard rock of the cave floor. She blushed when she thought about the hunter going out of his way to make her comfortable. A slight glance over his shoulder was his only indication that he was aware she was awake when she stood and stretched her aching limbs. She was glad of his inattention now as she removed herself from the cave, and the close proximity of the creature that confused her so.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Miria lingered at the caves entrance, watching the hunter as he was busily organising his weapons and various other objects. He seemed to be deep in thought as he was crouched and now examining his shurikan. He growled with discontent after running his finger along the blade, and pulling out a whetstone he set to sharpening it. She watched his fluid motions and how he set to such a menial task so naturally and effortlessly. He was indeed a true hunter, magnificent in his own savage ways.

She blushed lightly when he caught her staring, but only motioned for her to come closer as he continued examining his weapons. Miria kneeled down opposite him as she was told, and waited patiently with slight confusion and awkwardness. A moment or so passed before he finally picked up the retracted spear and offered it to her. She took it warily, not entirely sure yet what his purpose was. As she held it across her lap, the hunter reached forward, running his finger over and indentation which caused the spear tips to extend suddenly. She jumped a little, not expecting the reaction. She realized then that he was showing her how these weapons worked.

'Why are you showing me this?' She asked cautiously. The hunter sat back on his haunches then, and scratched his brow. She was grateful for the fact that at least he could understand her questions.

'Hunt' The low growling voice emanated from his throat. She was shocked at the human word he produced. Although the voice didn't entirely seem his own, and she recalled being told these creatures were able to mimic human voices very close to their exact. He pointed at Miria now, and repeated the word 'Hunt'

'Me?' Miria shook her head dumbfounded. 'What possible use can I be?' She squawked with fright. She feared that this predator was seriously overestimating her abilities. The hunter seemed to sigh, his head cocking slightly to one side as he stared into her face with his penetrating amber gaze. After a moment, he lifted his arm with the computer device attached, and poked at a series of buttons. Miria was surprised as a holographic map of sorts appeared above his forearm. After more buttons were pushed, the image distorted for a moment before returning as a likeness of the jungle. She leaned in closer to examine flickering blue holograph. She jumped as a picture of a human appeared in the jungle scene. The hunter pressed some more buttons after Mirias face gleamed with recognition, and the image zoomed out to a broader scale. These were the sacrificial humans that were offered to the Yautja. But only three remained now as they trod precariously through the jungle. The hunter then pointed to within the map, and she noticed the 3 Predators encircling the unaware men. Miria knew how this part would play out, she thought. This was a replay of his hunt. Is this what he wanted her to do?

But after the 3 hunters had disposed of the remaining human men, she saw something that she was not expecting. As the three were crouched taking trophies from their kills, some more figures emerged in the scene. She watched as the three hunters were ambushed by another group of Yautja, who were relentless in their assault. The three original hunters seemed the more experienced combatants, though they seemed to realized that being outnumbered lessened chance of victory. Miria was entranced as she watched the events unfold. Two hunters made a getaway, leaving one to fend for himself. She watched as he fought ruefully and held his own for some time. But the odds were still against him. He managed to wound the others bad enough to force them into a retreat. But he was not without wounds himself.

She watched as the lone hunter watched the alien spacecraft with his comrades leave the planet. He fell to his knees in pain, clutching at the wound on his chest. The holographic image flickered off then, but Miria already knew how it played out from there.

'You knew I was there all along' Miria had already guessed the hunter had sought her out purposefully, knowing he would need aid in order to survive. He gave a slight nod of his head, and punched some more buttons on the device. Yet another image was produced, and Miria was startled to see herself this time. She was standing outside the cave, glancing around nervously. The hunter waited for her to recognize the scene, and when she did, he zoomed out once again to produce a larger scale of the image. She first noted him crouched on a limb not too far from her. He was watching her, and she was confused as to why he had acted this way when he was already familiar with her. But her questions were soon answered when he zoomed the map out yet some more, and two more Yautja appeared in the image. These pair were tracking her hunter. She noted that they had become aware of her presence, and seem irritated or perhaps excited by this. The hunter pointed to the two Yautja within the image, and with a single finger tapped the side of his head.

'You knew they were following you?' Miria asked, and he confirmed her question with a nod. 'So you chased me?' She was still confused by this part as she watched the image of herself take flight when the hunter gave chase. But then she realized what the message was he had been trying to convey. He didn't want the other hunters knowing she had aided him. He wanted it to seem as if she was on her own. The image flickered off as the other two Yautja disappeared into the jungle again.

She still felt anger at his need to terrify her that morning, but she also felt thankful that in doing so he had protected her somewhat. She pursed her lips in thought, curious as to what he had planned for her now. His head still cocked slightly to the side as he continued to watch her face, perhaps gauging her reaction to all this new information. They stood simultaneously, and the hunter placed his hand on her shoulder once again.

'Hunt' The mimicked voice repeated. And Miria sighed. As she shook her head a slightly eccentric giggle erupted from her mouth

"Yeah, yeah, I get it!' She threw her hands up in exasperation 'But you're fucking delusional if you think I'm going to go out there and hunt those things' She pointed out of the cave as she still failed to comprehend how she could possibly be of any use in his endeavor to annihilate the other Yautja. She was rewarded with a rap of his knuckles on the top of her head, and she suddenly felt as if he was reprimanding her. She glared at him as his amused cackle gurgled from his throat.

'Stop it' She snapped, and as she turned away from him, he mimicked her own voice.

'_Stop it'_ he was almost exact in her tone and she spun around to glare at him once again. He cocked his head to the side and shrugged in response. He seemed excited by the anticipation of the hunt, but the mood wasn't an infectious one. Miria was beginning to fill with dread.

'Hey,' she began, holding his attention 'Miria' she said placing her hand over her chest. 'My name is Miria'

Her gaze never broke from his as he approached her, placing his hand on her shoulder once again. She forced a smile as he mimicked her once more.

_'Miria'_

If the predator was determined to set her to hunt, Miria thought she best prepare herself in some way. Her hair was first on the agenda, it always fell forward across her face and hindered her vision. She had naught to tie it back with or secure it in any way. Not to mention it was already a mass of knots and tangles. Grabbing a small handful she rubbed the strands together vigorously in her hands. After a moments work she held it in front of her face to examine it carefully. The dread-lock had formed well with the amount of grime that was still in her hair, and she was happy with the result. She tucked the first one back behind her ear, and set to working on the rest of her head.

Her neck was sore by the time she was done, but she had managed to fashion the dreads tight enough so they would stay back off her face. They fell to just below her shoulders, giving enough length for her to be able to secure them back if she needed. She emerged from the cave to find the hunter whittling a series of branches into spears. When he glanced up at her he let off a surprised bark. She laughed softly at his response as he stood to examine her more carefully. Miria frowned when he lifted a handful of her dreads in a closer perusal, but noted that he seemed impressed with what she had done, and he clapped her on the back before continuing with his task.

Miria seated herself on a nearby rock to watch him work. As it approached midday the heat became sweltering again, and his body glistened with a light perspiration. He finished the spears and began removing some of his own armor. He took the two pieces from his thighs, and approached Miria with them. Confused to his purpose, she jumped as he knelt before her and grabbed her by the ankle. Extending her leg, he wrapped one piece around her shin, securing it behind her calf muscle with a small leather band.

'Um, thanks' Miria said as he finished securing the second, and stood back to admire his handy work. She stood also, feeling the restrictions of the armor in her movements. It was surprisingly a lot lighter than she anticipated, and was somewhat glad. She studied the hunter carefully as he began tugging at his own hair. It took several minutes for Miria to realize he was removing the intricately carved beads. She was further surprised when he moved beside her to begin threading them onto her own dreadlocks.

'You think this is going to make me appear more intimidating? A tiny little thing like me? I think you're wasting your time' She shrugged as he tugged on her hair. He stood before her again pointing his thumb to his chest, and then drawing it across his throat.

'Oh!' Miria realized 'You want them to think you're dead?' He trilled softly and bumped his fist under her chin. The affectionate gesture drew Miria to avert her eyes from his piercing gaze. She kept her focus on the ground until she knew the hunter had moved away. But he was gone only a moment before returning with the spear he had given her earlier and once again placed it in her hands. He also passed her the small hunting knife. He withdrew a blade of his own, and for a moment Miria thought he was going to bestow her with another weapon. She jumped as he drew the blade across his own palm, and it quickly began to spill his bright green blood. Miria gulped as he began to flick his own blood over her.

'Really? The hair?' She complained as he held his hand above her head, and she felt the hot sticky fluid seep into her scalp. After he was satisfied with the effect, he then wiped his palm from her shoulder right across her chest. She gasped as his large hand brushed her breasts, her cheeks reddening once again. He stood back then, admiring his handiwork. He reached out and touched her cheek, turning her face to the side as if examining it. She was caught completely off guard when he slapped her hard across the face, and she fell to the ground grasping her cheek.

'Well' she groaned, 'I guess now it looks legit' She could feel the swelling beneath her hand already, and her vision danced with white dots. His large hand under her armpit helped lift her to her feet again, and she looked at him with watery eyes. He seemed happy with her now, as her appearance looked as if she had been in a bloody struggle. He gathered up his handcrafted weapons, and flicked his head as he urged her to follow him into the jungle.

'Great. So I guess we are going hunting now?' Miria gulped in an effort to keep her breathing steady and her heart from racing. She may have appeared collected on the outside, but on the inside she was a turmoil of panic and fear.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

They had been trekking carefully through the jungle for hours now, and Miria wondered if they would rest for the night as the afternoon sun began to dip below the tree line. She had kept on the hunters heels the whole time, and she knew he was setting the pace to suit her. He had her mind in quite a puzzled state. She knew she wasn't here for the mere company. He had a plan for her, she was sure of it. She had yet to see what possible use she could be, however. And the fact that he had made her appear as if she was battle hardened with a victory against the Yautja had her worried.

He paused in his path once again, thrusting the canteen of water in her face when he turned to face her, as he had done over a dozen times now. The first few times she had thought the gesture almost sweet as he had considered her well-being. But suspicion quickly dashed any previous thoughts as he continued to do so. He had worn his bio helmet the whole time, giving no hint of his expressions and the meaning behind his gestures. Miria watched him carefully as he continued on once more. He moved with ease through the jungle. He was in his element, and despite the fact that he restricted himself for her own benefit, he still made the trek seem easier than it actually was.

Miria was growing weary, and was caught off guard when the Hunter pushed through a thicket of brush, causing a branch to fling back and scratch Miria across the face. She grumbled as she touched her fingers to her already bruised cheek, and as she bought her hand away, blood stained her fingers. The hunter stopped then as they emerged into a clearing, and Miria was relieved to recognise her surroundings. They were at the site of the shipping container, though it wasn't as they had last left it. They supply creates were now empty, and strewn around the clearing. Rubbish caught in the surrounding bushes and plant life. Human weapons had been destroyed and thrown about carelessly. The Hunter seemed annoyed as he took in the scene, his short growls unnerving Miria somewhat.

He punched a few buttons on the device on his arm, and he shimmered as he disappeared into a mirage like haze. She heard his clicking trills, and he touched her shoulder lightly before disappearing from her sight altogether. Miria knew better than to try and follow him. He had obviously cloaked for a reason, and if he wanted to remain visible he would have. So instead she took the opportunity to see if anything remained salvageable amongst the debris. The light was fast disappearing from the sky now. Miria always dreaded the night, even more so without the protection of the hunter. She felt safer with him now. He had proven that he had obviously been trying to keep her alive for a reason. And though she was yet to figure out what that reason was, the thought was still comforting.

An hour or so more passed, and the hunter had yet to return. Darkness had engulfed the jungle and Miria dared not venture out on her own. Not now that she knew what else lay out there waiting. She guessed that it was the other Yautja that had scavenged through what was left in the shipping container in which she was now sheltered. Fear was beginning to creep into Mirias mind as the jungle came alive with creatures of the night. She was familiar with the sounds now, however she scolded herself for becoming too accustomed to the hunters protection.

Sitting in the far end of the container Miria placed the spear within easy reach. She was tired, worn out from the long journey they had made over the afternoon. Her skin was slick with perspiration, and as the temperature dropped with the encroaching darkness she began to feel cold. Her chin rested on her knees, and she gazed out at the vague shadows in the darkness as she hugged her legs tight to her chest.

She wasn't aware she had drifted off, and was startled when the hunters trilling roused her. He was crouched in front of her, and reached out the place a hand on the top of her head as she tried to calm her racing heart. The soft red light emitting from the device on his arm illuminated the container, which calmed her also. After a moment, he took a seat in the corner across from where she sat, and tossed the water canteen to the ground in front of Miria. She smiled as he seemed to relax in her presence also, as she did in his.

'I didn't think you were coming back' Miria admittedly softly, finding the anxiety of the last few hours slip away.

'_Rest_' The hunter mimicked the human word as he removed his bio and let his head fall back against the cold steel wall of the container. It didn't take long for Mirias eye lids to grow heavy again as she drifted off into a much more restful slumber with her hunter close by.

The smothering darkness was overwhelming, and she could only choke on sobs as she tried and tried again to call out. She knew naught where she was, but knew immediately she was trapped. Her hands flailing out in the darkness she could feel nothing. No constraints, just a smothering blackness that penetrated all the way to her soul. But something was reaching out to her. Someone was coming for her, to help her, trying to push away the smothering blanket.

As Miria opened her eyes she was relieved to discover she had once again been dreaming. The hunters soft trills had woken her, and she glanced up at him from the floor where she was curled up in a tight ball. He observed her now, and she met his penetrating amber gaze as she righted herself. Her muscles ached and embarrassment washed over her as the hunter continued to stare. She was surprised though when he extended his arm, palm facing upwards in a welcoming gesture. She eyed him warily, curious as to why he was offering the comfort. She sighed, scolding herself for feeling so comfortable with this creature she knew so little about. She could admit to herself however, that they had an odd connection of sorts. And she needed him. Her survival depended on it. For brief moments, he had needed her also.

Reluctantly, Miria crawled on her hands and knees to where the hunter sat. She sighed as she made herself comfortable in his lap, and he wrapped his arms around her protectively. His odd purrs rumbled within his chest, soothing away the chill of her nightmare. Her mixed emotions left her feeling wide awake now, disturbed by the fact that the hunters affections comforted her so.

'_Miria_' The hunters voice mimicked her own, and she lifted her head to meet his eyes. '_Rest'_ He said again, gently pushing her head to tuck it under his chin. Pushing aside all her thoughts and roiling emotions she let his soft chirruping lull her into sleep once more.

When Miria next awoke she felt comfortable and well rested. The low growl was the first thing she became aware of, though it wasn't a menacing one. She opened her eyes to discover the dim light of dawn was illuminating the container now. She shivered as the large claws trailed down the arm she still had wrapped around the hunters thick neck.

She was jolted awake when she became fully aware of his caresses. She scrambled away from him, and forced her sleepy limbs into a standing position, feeling the blood flood to her cheeks. His barking laughter did little to ease her embarrassment as he stood also, shaking his arms as he did so. Miria backed away as he replaced his bio and approached her slowly. She didn't like it when she couldn't read his face, and his posture was now an intimidating one as he approached her. He lifted his arm, and punched a few buttons on the device that had so many functions. Once again, his image disappeared from in front of her, and in the dim light she could make out the vague outline of his figure. She gulped, trying to calm herself, and jumped when the translucent hunter grabbed her hand. An invisible object was placed in her palm and she watched as the spear materialized in her grasp.

The hunter was making sure she was armed, and dread began to fill her once again. With one hand enclosing over her shoulder she felt his other bump her under the chin, and she had the odd feeling that he was about to leave her once again.

'You're leaving again now aren't you?' She asked, and the soft trill was his only response. But it was enough to confirm her worries as he released her shoulder slowly. Miria sighed, trying to muster her courage once again. She was still unsure of her purpose, but she knew her mere aide in treating his wounds wasn't all she was here for. Or was it? Was he treating this closer location as a base camp for Miria while he set out to track down the _bad_ Yautja? She pondered over this latest thought as the hunter disappeared from her view once again.

'Good luck' She whispered, as much to herself as it was intended for the hunter.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

Three days had come and gone, and Miria was more than worried. The third night was a lot brighter than the nights had been previously, and though she couldn't see through the tree line she knew a half moon hung low in the horizon. The jungle creatures were more alive that night with the excess light, and Miria had trouble sleeping because of it. Her restless naps got her through the night, and she knew dawn was approaching when she found herself wide awake.

And eerie silence now filled the jungle, and her first thought was of her hunter returning to her. Miria crouched in the doorway of the container, her senses straining as she tried to pick up any clue as to the goings on outside of her range of sight. She had detected a movement not too far out, but she was struggling to hear anything above the pounding of her own heart now. She clutched the spear at her side, her knuckles whitening as her grip tightened around its shaft.

Her eyes were darting wildly around the clearing, and she tried to force herself to focus. Slowly, she steadied her breathing and with it her heart settled somewhat. She crept out into the clearing in an effort to discover what had unnerved the jungle creatures. A scuffling somewhere in the overhead branches forced her to look up.

Her efforts to steady her racing heart were quickly dashed as the lump fell to the ground before her. With a loud thud as it landed, Miria was frozen the spot where she crouched. It was indeed a hunter. Just not hers.

Its skin was bright red and tones of Mahogany. It was devoid of any real armor. Instead it wore salvaged scraps of steel, and carved pieces of wood attached crudely together. Its tubular hair had been hacked off inches from its scalp. She vaguely remembered a tale from her school days that this was a sign that this Yautja had bought dishonour upon himself or his clan somehow. Its scalp rose in jagged tips, and even in the dim light she could see the horrid scar across this creatures face as his mandibles spread menacingly.

Miria pointed the spear towards it as it took in her own appearance. He snarled and crouched as he began to slowly circle her, sizing her up as an opponent. He roared his confidence at her, and Miria tried with all her might not to let the whimpers escape her throat. He held carved blades in each of his hands. Miria thought them to be sharpened bone. He continued to circle her slowly, and she knew that each move she made was being calculated and judged as he observed her. Her appearance must have confused him, with the dried Yautja blood spread across her clothing and skin, the beads in her hair, and the alien weapon her only protection. As hard as she was trying, she knew she could not prove herself a confident opponent to this creature as her hands shook with fear and her heart raced within her chest.

He made a lunge for her and Miria stumbled in her haste to back tread. As she found her feet quickly she could have sworn the creatures croaking barks were similar to her own hunters' laughter, and anger began to fuel within her. Her resolve renewed, and she crouched before this vile creature now with a grim determination. If she was going to meet her end this morning she would do so fighting. The creature made another lunge, this time flailing the bone knives in front of him as he ducked in close to her before spinning out of her reach.

He was toying with her, Miria fast realised. Taunting her for its own amusement. It had decided she was not a worthy opponent, however killing her would be for the sheer amusement of it.

'I see how it is' Miria said through clenched teeth. She had forgotten all else. It was her and the predator. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, renewing her strength and her courage along with it. She focused on the creature, and when he lunged again she made a deadly jab at him with her spear as she ran her finger along the indentation that would extend the tips to their fullest length. This indeed caught the creature off guard as it tore through the flesh of his bare shoulder.

He set into a more serious demeanour as he prowled around her with even deadlier determination. His angry snarls and growls continued to dissolve Miria's courage, and the predator began to circle more quickly. His roaring howl echoed through the silent forest and sent chills down her spine. She stumbled again as he made yet another dive for her, and he gave her a wound of her own as his blade connected with her upper arm. Miria couldn't help but cry out as the sting ran through her body. She felt the hot fluid seep from the gash, but she had no time to examine it now.

Her arm began to feel heavy as the predator attacked her once more and allowed for no moment of reprieve. She was able to duck his first deadly swipe at her face, and she positioned herself quickly as his fluid motions took him out of her reach. As anticipated, his deadly swirling dance bought him closer to her again, and she braced herself as she jabbed the spear in his direction. She was shocked as her weapon actually found a mark. It was not a lethal strike, but enough to grant her a moment to collect herself. The alien weapon in her hands had buried itself into the thick muscled thigh of his left leg and Miria felt a moment of triumph. But as he retreated the spear was wrenched from her grasp as the weapons tip disallowed for an easy removal. His howling pain muted her own cries as he tore the spear from his own flesh, and Miria's feelings of minor victory were quickly squelched as he tossed the weapon aside with ease. Miria clung to her profusely bleeding shoulder, and she realized that she was no match at all for this creature whose species had evolved to hunt.

Her breathing was heavy and her chest heaved. She watched in the dim light as the monster before her hobbled as he continued to circle her. Dismally she eyed the spear on the ground where he had tossed it far out of her reach. But she was not completely without defence as she grabbed the small knife from her pocket. She almost laughed at how ridiculous the thought was that she could defeat him with it. But she readied herself for his next attack, and like she anticipated he lunged again.

This time it was he that faltered in his step, and he tripped as he made a swipe for her torso. She dodged the blade carefully, surprising herself with her swift sidestep. Miria calculated carefully in the split second that she had as the creature stumbled in front of her. She drove the short blade with as much force as she could muster into the hunters neck and he fell to his knees beside her. His wailing screams began to gurgle as she used both hands and all her strength to tear the blade forward through the front of his throat. She didn't watch as the bright green fluid spurted over the ground while the creature fell forward on his stomach. Instead she made a lunge for her spear, and when she turned she noticed the wounded predator trying to pull itself along the ground in attempt to escape.

Miria was wild with fury and blinded with the pain in her shoulders. Her mixed emotions spurred deeper instincts of survival into action. Despite her overpowering fear, the adrenaline running through her veins gave her the strength she needed to finish what had been started. Standing over the weakened creature she lifted the spear as high as she could before driving it into his spine with all her might.

There was no sound as the predator died. The spasms ended swiftly as she tore the weapon from his lifeless body. Miria was beside herself with disbelief, and as she turned away from the creatures' corpse she fell to her knees sobbing. Wiping the sweat from her brow she then held her face in her hands as she tried to regain control of herself and the turmoil of emotions that swirled within her.

The two soft thuds on the ground before her jerked her back to reality as she glanced up. What she saw chilled her to her core and bought whimpers anew. Two more predators stood before her now, both equally as mean and gnarly in appearance as the first had been. One had bright green fluid seeping from a gash in its chest, and she wondered if it had been her hunter that had inflicted the wound. Had they killed him, and then come after her? Mirias knees trembled as she forced herself to stand once more, thrusting her chin out determinedly. She would not surrender to these vile beings that hunted her kind for sport.

The two hunters were standing confidently at ease, seeing her as no real threat now weakened and wounded. They seemed to be communicating amongst themselves with a series of clicking trills. Miria was infuriated even more as their barking laughter then rang out through the lightening jungle. She did not know if they had been laughing at her, but it had certainly seemed that way. Her fear gave way to anger as they seemed to make fun of her.

One of the predators began to approach her slowly, but she held her ground. He held no weapons, and merely clenched his fists at his sides. He stopped a few paces in front of her, and cocking his head to one side he let out a snarl as he nodded towards his fallen comrade who lay lifelessly behind her. Miria did not need to look back, for she knew what lay there, and her eyes gleamed with pride as she met the creatures stare. His snarl turned to a roar as she boldly held his gaze. His stance changed to a crouch, and she knew he was readying for an attack. Miria braced herself, spear ready. But what happened next took her by complete surprise.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

She heard the '_schwing_' of the blades extending before she even saw him. Both the predators before her spun swiftly to see the other hunter enter the clearing. He moved with deadly purpose as his arm with the dual blades drew back ready to swipe at his closest target. The unarmed Yautja backed away swiftly as they glanced around for anything they could use to defend themselves with. Miria too had retreated a safe distance, and was almost overcome with excitement as her hunter and protector had waltzed onto the scene.

He now stood in the centre of the clearing, the two exiled hunters circled him cautiously, each maintaining a careful distance, waiting for him to make the first move. The plasma cannon on his shoulder whirred and clicked as the tri laser tried to focus on its first target. As the larger of the two rogues realised the weapon was aimed at him, he made a clumsy dive for the container as it projected its first blast in his direction. The creature came close to collecting Miria in its tumble for cover, and she was almost too mesmerised in watching the fight unfold to jump out of the way. But she corrected herself in time. And as she did, she took the opportunity to lunge at the scrambling creature with the spear.

The plasma cannon continued to fire behind her as the second rogue predator had tried to make its escape. But Miria had no time to worry about how her hunter was handling things as the spear tip embedded in the side of the creature fumbling before her. The first blast had obviously left him somewhat dazed, which gave Miria a momentary advantage. His loud wails assailed her ears as she reefed the weapon from its body. But to her dismay, the predator rolled as she tried to reclaim the weapon, and knocked it from her hands.

It was Mirias turn to retreat, and she almost tripped over the corpse of her previous opponent as she backed away from the wounded hunter. The other pair had dashed off into the jungle, and she now faced another Yautja on her own. She forced herself to keep her mind at task, and not let fear overcome her once more. The wounded and angry hunter before her was quickly regaining his strength as he seemingly shook away the pain. Miria knew she needed to act quickly so as he didn't regain the full of his senses again. She was already in way over her head, and she didn't need to give her opponent the advantage of time as well.

Kneeling beside the corpse she quickly pried the two bone blades from its hands. Once armed again, her eyes darted around the clearing for anything else that may be of aide. Before her eyes could seek anything else at her the wounded hunter lunged for her. Miria ducked out of his reach just in time, and swing wildly with the crude knives in her hands. Her efforts were in vain as she missed the hunter completely. Turning away, she intended to make a run for it. But the large claws at her ankles sent her sprawling across the clearing. The bone blades flew from her hands as she hit the ground hard. The wind was knocked from her chest also, and she gulped in an effort to draw in breath once again. Out of the corner of her eye the glistening of polished steal in the early morning sun caught her eye. It was the spear. Hastily she pushed herself to her feet and made a lunge for it. She skidded across the leaf litter as she bent to scoop up her weapon.

Miria stood then, and swung around to face her opponent once armed again. But he was gone. Her eyes darted wildly around the clearing and panic began to etch its way in as her mind tried to stray from focus. The pain from her wounds also began to creep in and cause for distraction. She turned full circle as she tried to find a clue as to where her attacker had retreated to.

The ground shook beneath her feet as an explosion nearby erupted through the forest. It was then her opponent took the opportunity to pounce. He emerged from within the shadows of the shipping container in a flying leap. Miria had just enough time to raise her spear before she was knocked to the ground once again. Her vision obscured with white dots momentarily, and when her eyes focused once again there was a large ugly and snarling face directly above hers. Her hands were on the creatures shoulders as she tried to keep his mandibles and razor sharp teeth from tearing at her face. It took her a moment to realize that his full weight was not upon her. As she tried to see through the spray of blood and saliva that was drenching her face she realised the predator had impaled itself on her spear.

Miria was stuck however; the spear embedded in the soft earth beside her prevented her from being able to roll from underneath the shrieking creature. Blood gurgled from his wide open mouth, and whilst the blow had not killed him outright, he would eventually bleed out. But even in his dying gasps the hunter made wild slashes at her with the bone knives that he held now. Miria did her best to dodge the blades as one scraped her cheek. Her arms seemed puny in comparison to the thick muscled ones of the Yautja hunter, and she tried with all her might to hold his lethal limbs at bay. She was not out of danger yet, and she cried out as the blades struck her a second time. Miria bought her knees up in an effort to lift the wounded beast off her body, but before she could shove him her vision was obscured again, and she felt the hot sticky substance cover her face as blood poured from the humanoid being above her.

It took a long moment for Miria to realise her opponent had finally given over to death. As she made an effort to wipe the blood from her face and scramble from underneath the body two large hands pulled her free. She was placed on her feet, and she lifted her t-shirt to clear her eyes. When her vision was once again restored she found her hunter standing before her once again. For only a moment she was pleased to see him standing there unharmed and victorious in his own battle. She glanced down at the two corpses that lay in the clearing, and saw that the hunter had finished off her second opponent as its head had been severed from body.

Miria stood dumbfounded for a moment, unable to believe she had come out of the battle alive. She had killed two of these creatures; albeit with some help on the second. Her will to survive had been stronger than she gave herself credit for, even when fear had threatened to consume her. But after taking in the scene of destruction and death her eyes fell back to the hunter who had led her here.

'You!' She spat venomously. The pieces had finally all slotted in together in her mind, and she had finally realised her purpose. 'You set it all up! You _used_ me as bait! Didn't you?' she yelled at the hunter that stood before her, still calm in his demeanour. For a long while he only stood before her, and eventually he removed his bio helmet and crossed the short distance that remained between them. Miria did not feel afraid of him in that moment as the adrenaline still ran through her body. In fact, she felt set to explode with fury. But she realised she wasn't getting an answer from the hunter, and she didn't need one. His silence and his head cocked slightly to one side in the odd way he contemplated her spoke volumes in itself.

'What? Didn't expect me to live?' She asked angrily as the hunter continued to look her up and down. He lifted his fist, and rapped her lightly on the head with his knuckles. She had figured this gesture to be a reprimand of sorts. She huffed now and spun away from him even as he chirruped in a non-threatening manner. She bent to pick up one of the bone blades that had fallen to the ground beside her. 'Well, I have only one response for that…' she began as she strode over to the corpse of the first mahogany hunter she encountered. Grabbing a handful of its short hacked off dreadlocks she lifted its head from the ground. With rage as her strength she finished what she had started and hacked away at the creatures' neck. Dividing the spinal column with the sharp blade she severed its head from body also. Holding the head by a handful of hair she held it before her

'… Fuck you and your kind.' Miria finished before marching back into the jungle, trophy still in hand.

They had been walking for some hours, and Miria knew without looking back that the hunter followed behind her. He had made no move to redirect her or to stop her from leaving. Blinded by her earlier anger she hadn't even considered her direction when she had stormed off. Once she had paused to gain her bearings, she was happy when she realised she was heading in the direction of the cave.

She battled silently with fatigue and pain as her wounds still seeped lightly. Her pride was too strong to give in now, and the more she allowed herself to ponder on it, the more upset she felt for being played a fool. She felt completely naïve to this planet once again, and if it wasn't for the head she lugged along with her she would have almost thought the whole thing another nightmare.

But it hadn't been. She was a fool none the less, and she vowed then that she would be more cautious of this planet and everything it threw at her. She felt alone once again. This alien creature tailing behind her had used her like she was simply another piece of an elaborate puzzle. He had seen a use for her, and used her appropriately. His surprise at her survival had told her that he hadn't expected her to survive the ordeal. Miria wondered then what this would mean for her future now. What it would mean for the odd relationship they had shared previous to battle, faux though his affections may have been.

The next clearing revealed the large stone wall in which the cave entrance was hidden. Tossing the now smelling head on the ground by the caves opening, Miria began making her way down the slope towards the inviting waters of the pond below. She was in dire need of a bath.


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: Those that find the idea of human/predator relations not so appealing probably shouldn't read this next chapter. :P That said, I wanna take to opportunity to thank you all for the great reviews. They really are helping me as I piece the story together. I also want to thank my buddy Allen for helping me with the editing :)**

**p.s... this hunter needs a name! Anyone with any ideas feel free to PM me. I really have no idea and I have been wracking my brain for chapters now!**

**Chapter 13**

Miria had forced all thoughts from her mind as she soaked in the cool water of the pond below her cave. She had stripped herself bare and for the longest while she only let herself float around in the swirling eddies below the waterfall. She could have easily let herself drift off to sleep, weary and sore from the days exertions. But she needed to clean herself of the disgusting muck and grime that covered her from head to toe, as well as tend to her aching wounds.

Her clothes she had discarded on a large rock that emerged from the water's surface by the waterfall. She waded through waste deep water until she was beside the rock, and carefully spread her wet clothing out on the semi-flat surface. They were almost unrecognizable now, the collar of her shirt ripped, as well as the bottom hem line. It was stained with the light green blood of the Yautja, and dipping the garment back into the pond, she tried to scrub it out with her fingers.

When she had removed as much of the filth from her clothing as she could be bothered with she began to work on herself. She wished she had a mirror to examine the cuts on her face. They were tender to touch, though they didn't feel too bad, she guessed they were inflamed and possibly infected. Yautja blood had mingled with her own, and it clung to her face like a second skin. It took much soaking and scraping with her fingernails before she felt like she had done an adequate job of removing it.

She then examined the wounds on her arms and shoulders. They were clean cuts, they slightly reddening at the edges. Cleaning them proved no hard task, but it didn't make the sting any less. She thought the gash on her shoulder would need dressing, and her mind wondered to her first encounter with the hunter. She grimaced at her own stupidity. He had known she was there all along. He needed help, and he knew she would give it. From there she fell smoothly into his plan, stupid compliant little girl.

Miria wondered if it would have made any difference if she had known however. His species was still the superior, and she doubt he would have let her leave if she had refused to play his game. She hugged her arms around her body as she sunk into the deeper water, submerging her aching body to her chin. She felt truly woeful now. There had been moments when she had genuinely thought the hunter showed her a softer side of himself out of trust. Not because he had needed her, but because he had wanted to. He had comforted her when she had needed comforting. Still, she had to admit that there was somewhere deep inside her that had warned her from the beginning. A niggling thought that had told her there was more to his show of friendship and protection than was apparent. Her instincts had proven right.

Miria sighed. She knew now that in order to survive this place she could rely on no one but herself. She needed to prove herself independent. The hunter may not stick around forever. And what would happen once these 'bad bloods' were taken care of? He seemed to take it upon himself to exterminate the honor-less Yautja. What would happen once his task was complete? Would he let her continue to live here on this planet the Yautja claimed as their own? She would not allow herself to be deluded into the option that she may be returned home to earth, that they would see her being here as a mistake and misfortune on her behalf.

But would the Hunters own kind even return for him? She knew nothing of his technology, but after seeing what she had she would be very surprised if he didn't at least have some means of which he could send out a distress signal of sorts.

The cool water was doing wonders easing away the aches in her body, and Miria relished her moment of peace. Troubling thoughts aside, she felt pretty lucky to have escaped the mornings ordeal with only a few minor injuries. She was not sure why she had felt the need to lug the severed head of her first kill back to the camp. Perhaps it was her own form of rebellion against the Yautja and the vile hunting games they practiced.

But something else occurred to her. She had killed one of these beings. All on her own and unaided, she had defeated her first foe. This thought elated her somewhat, and for the first time since awakening on this planet Miria began to feel as if she wasn't as helpless as she led herself to believe. Perhaps she had better chances of survival than she gave herself credit for.

The mid afternoon sun was warm on her face as she soaked in the pool. Trying not to let her aching body detract from her moments reprieve she closed her eyes and forced all negative thoughts from her mind.

'What the..?' Miria splashed as she tried to right herself when she bumped into something warm and hard as she floated in the pool. She couldn't say she was surprised that it would be the hunter that disturbed her peace, but she was surprised to notice he had also stripped himself bare to enjoy the cool water in the broiling afternoon sun. She scolded herself for not noticing his arrival and her earlier thoughts of independence and survival instincts flooded her mind. Her previous anger began to rear its head once again as she thought about how he had used her like a puppet.

'I'm not really in the mood for playing friendly right now. I would appreciate it if you kept to that side of the pond thanks' Miria waved him off and turned back towards the waterfall and the rock where her clothing was drying in the sun. His roar caught her by surprise and she spun to face him again. He appeared to not like having her turn his back on him, and he slowly began wading towards her. His mandibles were spread menacingly and his chest was heaving. Was he angry at her? Had her words offended him that badly? She hugged her arms across her bare chest once again, her anger beginning to be replaced with fear she was all too familiar with. Something about her nakedness made her feel more vulnerable than usual. Her back was hard up against the large rocky platform now and the water was still waist deep. She had nowhere to run to. No way of a hasty retreat should she need it.

He roared again as he stood mere paces away from her, and Miria jumped in fright. The hunter suddenly became aware of her fear of him, and his roar tapered to a gentler chirruping. There was still some note of aggression in his tone as he continued his verbal chorus, though Miria thought he seemed to be more frustrated than angry. She had no idea that it was nothing of her present actions that upset him. Natural instincts long ago lost to the human race were what flared the hunters disposition. Miria could not have known that it was the peak in the estrus stage of her cycle, and the faint musky scent she emanated with the production of various hormones within her body had been tormenting the predator their whole trek home.

The hunter had no way of communicating the natural instincts fueled within him, but as the lower half of his body emerged from the water as he approached her, his desires became apparent to her. Miria gasped, bringing her hand up to her face as if to shield herself from the site of his nakedness. She couldn't control her trembling when the hunter reached for her hand and pulled it from her face. She thought her heart would jump right out of her chest as it beat at a pace that was too fast for her to even count.

Was he... did he really _desire_ her? Miria wondered as she forced herself to keep her eyes on his face. He was almost two feet taller than her, and his size alone terrified her. He held her gaze as he continued to hold her by the wrist. She studied her hand against his own. Her small dainty pink flesh against his large claws in tones of brown. Her vision blurred and she suddenly realized that tears welled in her eyes. The hunter noticed this too, and releasing her wrist he cupped her face in both his hands. She felt so small and frail in his grasp, and she knew in that moment she was completely at his mercy. There would be nothing she could do to stop him if he chose to have her.

She let her eyelids fall shut as the first whimper escaped her lips. She felt the hot breath of the hunter on her face as he seemed to be drawing in her scent. He was smelling her, drinking in the odors she emitted that made her appear so desirable to him. Her eyes flew open again as she was lifted out of the water and placed on the rock behind her. She was completely exposed to his view now, as he was to hers. Her cheeks flushed brightly and she turned her face away from him. In every effort she made to cover herself, he would hold her arms away as he considered his next move.

He lifted her arms to place them on his shoulders as he stood before her, wrapping his own hands around her tiny waist. She gasped as he lifted her from the rock, and she clung to him as he fell backwards in the water. As the ripples in the pool subsided she felt the gravely bottom of the pond beneath her knees as the hunter held her onto his lap. Their bodies were submerged from the shoulders down which bode well for her modesty. Miria watched the hunters expressions with her own bewildered eyes and he continued to trill away softly as his hands ran up and down the length of her body. She trembled, and realized she not only felt fear for this creature but an odd assortment of anticipation and excitement for what was about to happen.

Miria gasped when his hands cupped her buttocks to pull her tighter against his lap, and she squirmed when she felt the hard length of his arousal pressing against her most intimate places. Her breaths were coming fast as he lifted her body to position himself correctly below her. There was a moment of limbo, where he simply held her gaze with his bright yellow eyes. His trilled softly as her bottom lip trembled, and he lifted his large hand to run his thumb across her chin as his fingers curled around her neck.

She knew there would be pain. She braced herself when she felt him begin an upward thrust, probing at her entrance. Miria cried out as he penetrated her for the first time, and tried to force her body to relax to accommodate his size. The hunter also groaned, but Miria knew his vocal expression wasn't one of pain. With one of his hands gripping her by the hip he pressed her body down on top of his, burying himself inside of her warm depths. She was overwhelmed with a sharp stinging sensation, and she let her face fall to his shoulder as she whimpered softly.

But her discomforts would not deter him in the slightest as he set a steady pace. The water rippled around them, and the hunter groaned as he tossed his head back. Miria didn't know at which point the pain had begun to be replaced by a tingling sensation of sorts, and she soon realized her whimpers had turned to soft gasps. She clung to his neck with both hands as his thrusts quickened. She found her own body betrayed her as her hips moved to meet with his thrusts.

Ripples turned to splashes and his grunts became loud groans as he bounced her on his lap. Miria only clung to him, confused by the emotions he elicited from within her. She was disturbed that she did not find herself repulsed by the creature that made her his own. Her thoughts were interrupted by a fierce pain as the hunters mandibles clenched down over her shoulder. But even under sharpness of the pain she still felt him explode within her as he reached his climax.

For the longest while he continued to hold her, his jaws still clamped tightly over her shoulder. It wasn't until the crimson fluid began to seep from beneath the sharp points of his teeth that he finally released her. As she slid from his lap he bought his hand up to bump her under the chin before he stood slowly. He removed himself from the pool, leaving a dazed and confused Miria huddled in the water.


End file.
